Bafana Bafana could take a leaf out of the zoo’s book

South Africa is wrapped in excitement as the first FIFA Soccer World Cup approaches and everyone,even animals are enthusiastic about the forth coming event. The animals at Johannesburg Zoo have taken this to another level and will be playing with all kinds of balls, big and small, every Friday to inspire the soccer loving nation and even more so to encourage our soccer athletes to achieve greatness in the forthcoming spectacular. Who knows maybe Bafana Bafana could pick up a trick or two from our furry friends.

Playing is not an event for zoo animals, it is part of their daily routine as they need to exercise because animals in captivity, do not have the luxury of hunting or serching for food all of the time. Hence spend a fair amount of time doing nothing. This lack of activity could present serious health issues such as obesity for instance, thus zoos plan animal enrichment programmeelements, which include amongst other playing , running, jumping and finding things. Most zoos have animal enrichment programs planned for their collection and Johannesburg Zoo has incorporated a soccer related theme in its 2010 animal enrichment plan where each Friday starting from the first week of February and leading up to the world cup tournament it has made arrangements for its animals to play with balls, which are relevant to each species. The program is as follows and extends for a period of nineteen days:
 
Date Animal  Date Animal
5 Feb '10 Mona Monkeys 09 April'10 Coatis
12 Feb '10 Triton - Lion 16 April'10 Giraffe
19 Feb '10 Pumas 23 April'10 Hamadryas baboons
26 Feb'10 Ground hornbills 30 April'10 Jackal
5 March'10 Rhinos 07 May '10 Chimpanzees
12 March'10 Black & White Ruffed lemur 14 May '10 De Brazza Monkeys
19 March'10 Servals 21 May '10 Spider Monkey
26 March'10 Spectacled bears 28 May''10 Red bellied lemur
02 April'10 Condors 04 June '10 Camels

 You are invited to come watch or even cheer our future stars, and take pictures.
 

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